Venison Steaks with Honeyed Carrots & Spiced Chickpeas

Venison Steaks with Honeyed Carrots & Spiced Chickpeas

Here I have amplified the fudgy, candy-like quality of the humble carrot to create the perfect counterbalance to mineral-rich venison. Venison lacks fat, so one of my favourite ways to cook it is in a pan full of butter. I find this helps to develop a light crust that is otherwise harder to achieve. Cook it rare, perhaps medium-rare, but no further, and then enforce a resting period; this gives the juices time to return home. What you should end up with is something akin to fillet steak. A little of the rich venison goes a long way, so a fresh, zippy sheep's cheese is a welcome addition.

Ingredients

Spring · Serves 3-4

  • 500g (1lb 2oz)

    carrots, sliced in half lengthways

  • 2

    red onions, cut into wedges

  • 3

    garlic cloves, peeled and bashed

  • rapeseed oil, for drizzling

  • 2–3 tablespoons

    runny local honey

  • 2

    wild venison steaks

  • a knob

    grass-fed butter

  • flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • For the spiced chickpeas

    2 teaspoons

    smoked paprika

  • 2 teaspoons

    cumin seeds

  • 1 teaspoon

    chilli flakes

  • 125g (4½oz)

    cooked chickpeas, drained

  • 2 tablespoons

    pumpkin seeds

  • 2 tablespoons

    sunflower seeds

  • a drizzle of rapeseed oil

  • To serve

    100g (3½oz)

    chervil, chopped

  • a few sprigs

    thyme

  • 150g (5½oz)

    Wooten White sheep's cheese

Buy available ingredients
Recipe image

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 4.

Add the carrots, red onion wedges and bashed garlic cloves to a medium roasting tray. Drizzle over a generous glug of rapeseed oil and liberally season the veg with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a tablespoon of honey, then shake the tray to ensure everything is thoroughly coated. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

To make the spiced chickpeas, begin by grinding the spices using a pestle and mortar. Pour the spice mix into a mixing bowl. Add the chickpeas and seeds, along with a drizzle of oil and a good pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then set aside.

Remove the roasted veg from the oven and give everything a good shake. Add the spiced chickpeas and seeds to the roasting tray and drizzle over a little more oil and a further tablespoon of honey. Place it back in the oven and roast for a further 15–20 minutes, until the veg is beautifully tender and caramelized.

Season the venison steaks with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Place a cast-iron pan over a high heat. Add a drizzle of oil, then lay the steaks in and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side. For the last minute of cooking, add a small knob of butter and toss around the pan, coating the steaks. Remove them from the pan and set aside to rest for 8–10 minutes.
Decant the roasted veg, chickpeas and seeds onto a large platter. Scatter over the herbs. Break apart the sheep's cheese and scatter chunks through the warm veg. Slice the rested venison steaks, then lay them on the top of the veg, pouring over any juices from the pan. Finally, drizzle the dish with a little more oil and serve straight away.
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